VISIT VITERBOVISIT VITERBO

The ancient city of Viterbo is located about 80 km northwest of Rome, between the lakes of Bolsena and Vico.

DISTANCE FROM VITERBO:DISTANCE FROM VITERBO:Milano - 507 kmMilano - 507 kmTorino - 603 kmTorino - 603 kmAosta - 681 kmAosta - 681 kmGenova - 437 kmGenova - 437 kmTrento - 519 kmTrento - 519 kmFirenze - 214 kmFirenze - 214 kmBologna - 313 kmBologna - 313 kmRoma - 75 kmRoma - 75 kmPerugia - 127 kmPerugia - 127 kmL'Aquila - 148 kmL'Aquila - 148 kmNapoli - 303 kmNapoli - 303 kmPalermo - 900 kmPalermo - 900 kmAncona - 238 kmAncona - 238 kmCampobasso - 305 kmCampobasso - 305 kmReggio Calabria - 780 kmReggio Calabria - 780 kmBari - 501 kmBari - 501 kmCagliari - 336 kmCagliari - 336 kmPotenza - 441 kmPotenza - 441 kmVenezia - 463 kmVenezia - 463 kmTrieste - 601 kmTrieste - 601 km

VISIT VITERBOVISIT VITERBO

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

The province of Viterbo, commonly called Tuscia (from the Etruscan populations that once lived in the northern part of Lazio), is an area full of history and art. Its origins date back to an Etruscan settlement called “Surrena”, that began to develop in the early Middle Ages.

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

Viterbo became important during that period when it was a place of refuge for many Popes, earning the title of “City of Popes”. During the long controversy between the Roman Catholic church and the Emperor, Viterbo became a free city and grew considerably.

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

Viterbo's historic center is one of the best preserved uncontaminated medieval towns of central Italy, dating back to the XIIIth century. The main attractions of Viterbo are its medieval towers and walls, the Papal Palace (Palazzo dei Papi), that served as a secondary residence and a repair in time of trouble in Rome, the Cathedral and the Renaissance Palace of the Commune.

Today Viterbo preserves a distinctive medieval urban and architectural plan, which you can still enjoy in one of the most suggestive medieval settings: San Pellegrino.

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

Another important attraction is the sulphureous termal springsscattered all over the countryside with pools of hot water where you can nicely bathe, particularly at night (excellent for skin care!). At the Terme dei Papi you can also find a lot of services for health, relax and beauty.

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARMVITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

• A few miles from Viterbo (easy to reach also with public transports) there are the lake of Vico and the lake of Bolsena, where you can spend a lovely day swimming and relaxing in the sun or in the shade of trees.

• From Viterbo you can very easily reach Rome. The trains leave every hour from the station of Porta Romana. The ticket (BIRG, 5 zone) costs only 9 euros and allows you to travel by train and on all buses and metro of Rome for one day.

• From Viterbo you can also reach the beach (Tarquinia, an important Etruscan city, about 30 miles) and the loveliest medieval cities of southern Tuscany (Siena, 80 miles) and Umbria (Assisi, Orvieto and Perugia).

• Life in Viterbo is much cheaper than in other larger cities like Rome or Florence. You can dine out in restaurants and pizzerias at a very good price. A huge market takes place every saturday in the major square of Viterbo.

• The surroundings of Viterbo produce excellent red/white wine and olive oil, which you can easily buy in the cellars of the city at a very good price!

VITERBO - A CITY OF CHARM

Every year, on September September 3rd3rd, an extraordinary event takes place: at 9 o'clock in the evening you can assist to the transport of the “Macchina di Santa “Macchina di Santa Rosa”Rosa”. The Macchina is an artistic illuminated bell-tower with an imposing height of 30 m30 m. It weighs between 3,5 3,5 and 5 tonnesand 5 tonnes and is made of iron, wood and papier-mâché.

At the top of the tower, the statue of the Patron Saint

is enthusiastically acclaimed by the people in

the streets of the town centre, where lights are

turned off for the occasion. One hundred and thirtyOne hundred and thirty

Viterbesi men (known as the FacchiniFacchini) carry the

Macchina from Porta Romana through the major medieval streets of Viterbo,

concluding with a strenuous ascension up to

the Piazza di Santa Rosa, its final resting place. Each Macchina has a life span of

five years, after which a new one is built.

University of TusciaUniversity of TusciaDAFNE DepartmentDAFNE Department

Via S. Camillo De Lellis s.n.c.Via S. Camillo De Lellis s.n.c.01100 VITERBO - ITALY01100 VITERBO - ITALY

For information:

Prof. Danilo Monarca (+39 0761 357 364)

Prof. Massimo Cecchini and Andrea Colantoni (+39 0761 357 357)

ergolab@unitus.it

www.ergolab-unitus.com

For information:

Prof. Danilo Monarca (+39 0761 357 364)

Prof. Massimo Cecchini and Andrea Colantoni (+39 0761 357 357)

ergolab@unitus.it

www.ergolab-unitus.com